Foam generator for a floor care machine

ABSTRACT

A SCRUBBING BRUSH FOR A FLOOR CARE MACHINE IN WHICH A DISC OF SPONGE MATERIAL IS ATTACHED TO A SURFACE OF THE BRUSH BACK BY THE BRISTLE WIRES. THE DISC OF SPONGE MATERIAL HAS A LARGER DIAMETER THAN THE BRUSH BACK DIAMETER AND THE BRUSH BACK IS PROVIDED WITH A WELL HAVING OPENINGS TO FEED A FOAMING LIQUID THROUGH THE BRUSH BACK TO THE SPONGE MATERIAL.

Jan. 5, 1971 P. E. GAUDRY ETAL 3,551,935

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THUR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,551,935 FOAM GENERATOR FOR A FLOOR CARE MACHINE Paul E. Gaudry, Laval des Rapides, Quebec, Edouard Gaudry, St. Laurent, Quebec, Raymond Descarrles, Montreal, Quebec, and James Anderson, Baie dUrfe, Quebec, Canada, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Consolidated Foods Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Maryland Original application June 20, 1967, Ser. No. 647,378, now Patent No. 3,469,272. Divided and this application Dec. 19, 1968, Ser. No. 798,550

Int. Cl. A46b U.S. Cl. -180 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A scrubbing brush for a fioor care machine in which a disc of sponge material is attached to a surface of the brush back by the bristle wires. The disc of sponge material has a larger diameter than the brush back diameter and the brush back is provided with a well having openings to feed a foaming liquid through the brush back to the sponge material.

This application is a division of Ser. No. 647,378, filed June 20, 1967, now Pat. No. 3,469,272.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a multi-brush combined floor polisher-rug scrubber machine of the type generally known from such US. Patents as 3,153,251, 3,186,022 and 3,275,760.

The known floor polishers have not been entirely satisfactorily adapted for rug shampooing use because foam generating means, whereby a liquid shampoo is converted a to foam, has not been adequate. That is, if a liquid shampoo for rug cleaning is not sufficiently agitated the liquid wets the rug backing. As the rug dries discoloring materials in the rug backing are drawn by capillary action to the exposed surface of the rug resulting in browning or staining.

According to the invention liquid shampoo is conducted to a rug scrubbing brush having a sponge-like element integral therewith whereby the liquid shampoo is effectively converted to foam to prevent Wetting and the resultant staining. Further due to the improved foam generation a machine according to this invention is provided with labarinth seals surrounding each brush spindle to prevent entry of foam into the motor compartment.

An object of the invention is to provide a floor polisher which is quickly and conveniently adapted for use as a rug scrubber with improved foam generating means.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a foam generating brush according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken on line 2, 2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the brush shown in FIG. 1 partly broken away.

FIG. 4 is a schematic exploded view illustrating the method of manufacturing a foaming brush according to the invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic, partly cross-sectioned, perspective view of a polisher having a pair of foaming brushes according to the invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a three brush polisher having foaming brushes and illustrating the foaming action of a three brush arrangement.

FIGS. 1 to 6 illustrate a foam generating brush for use with the floor care machine used for rug shampooing.

The brush back 80a is provided with an annular channel 3,551,935 Patented Jan. 5, 1971 surrounding the hub portion 72. The channel 85 receives liquid shampoo from a hose or conduit 86, the other end of which is connected to a shampoo bottle (not shown). The bottle of shampoo and associated hose deliver liquid shampoo into channel 85 in the brush back. The shampoo liquid flows from channel 85 into the sponge disc 81 via a plurality of radially extending holes 85a which are located at the periphery of the channel 85 so that the liquid passes by centrifugal force into the sponge disc 81, entering the sponge adjacent to the inner boundary of the annulus formed by the bristle tufts. The liquid shampoo travels by capillary action, and under the influence of centrifugal force, to the outer periphery of the sponge disc. As the brushes rotate, the sponge discs attached thereto are compressed and expanded (FIGS. 31 and 32) so that a pumping effect takes place which causes agitation of the liquid to thereby generate foam. Also, since the liquid travels radially across the brush body from the inside out the bristles absorb some of the liquid which is foamed in the bristle tufts by agitation as each tuft moves over a rug.

In operation, as shown schematically in FIGS. 31 and 32 the foaming liquid may be fed to only one of two or three brushes, the liquid being deposited in the channel 85 (FIG. 2). The liquid passes under centrifugal force, into the sponge disc 81 via the holes 85a in the channel 85 and reaches the periphery of the sponge. As the brushes rotate the wetted sponge is compressed against the adjacent sponge disc as best shown in FIG. 5 thus agitating and aerating the liquid and the foam thus generated builds up within the brush well of the machine and is deposited on the rug (not shown). At the same time the liquid passes from one brush to the other. In a three brush device as illustrated in FIG. 5 liquid may be fed only onto brush 81a but it is transferred from brush 81a to brush 81b and then to the third brush 81c. Alternatively of course the liquid may be fed directly to each brush, however it has been found in practice that satisfactory foaming without wetting the floor covering being cleaned is obtained by supplying the liquid to only one brush and any excess liquid which would cause wetting is picked up by a sponge disc which does not have a separate supply of liquid.

What is claimed is:

1. A scrubbing brush comprising a brush back member having first and second axially spaced surfaces, a hub projecting from one of said axially spaced surfaces of the back member, a sponge member adjacent to the other of said surfaces, the diameter of said sponge member being larger than the diameter of the brush back, a plurality of bristle tufts bent over the bight portion of a generally U-shaped wire and extending in the direction opposite to the leg portions of the U-shaped wire, the leg portions of said U-shaped wire extending through said sponge member and being attached to said back member for securing said sponge member and bristles to said back member, and means on said back member for conducting a liquid to said sponge member.

2. A scrubbing brush according to claim 1 wherein said means for conducting liquid to said sponge member comprises a channel in said back member surrounding said hub, an aperture in said back member extending from said channel to the opposite surface of said back member, said sponge member overlying said aperture at said opposite surface.

3. A scrubbing brush according to claim 2 wherein said bristle tufts define a generally annular bristle body extending from said brush back, said channel having an outer peripheral margin substantially aligned with the inner margin of said bristle body, said aperture extending axially substantially between said aligned margins whereby said liquid is delivered to said innermost tufts of said bristle body and is transmitted radially outwardly through said sponge by capillary action and centrifugal force when said brush is rotated in normal use.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Smalley 15-180 Petty 15-180 Backlund 15180UX Wallace 1550 Helm 15-480 4 3,121,895 2/1964 Burgoon 15-50 3,121,897 2/1954 Lambrich 15114UX 3,443,272 4/1959 Trelc et a1. 1s 50x FOREIGN PATENTS 5 1,006,829 4/1957 Germany 300-21 779,187 7/1957 Great Britain 1s 114 PETER FELDMAN, Primary Examiner US. 01. X.R. 15 50, 114 

